Internet protocol (“IP”) telephony and IP multimedia networks employ several protocols to setup and manage calls and sessions. One of the most widely adopted protocols for IP-based signaling is Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”). SIP is used, for example, for initiating new calls and sessions, manipulating call paths, and enabling the association of services with users regardless of their point of connection in the network. These are just a few areas of SIP application.
The increasing use of SIP has spurred development and introduction of numerous services with SIP interfaces for the user and network access. This approach makes sense, as the number of SIP-capable devices proliferates in IP networks. These devices have several features and mechanisms defined to employ existing telephony features in SIP.
One such feature is the ability to access individual account information and/or services associated with various users or their IP telephony devices. For instance, in one type of IP telephony system, each individual user's account information and associated services are collectively stored on a central server that can be accessed remotely via an interface program, such as a web browser. Since the account information and services are centrally stored on a server, the user device used in this type of IP telephony system is typically not “intelligent,” in that the user device itself does not store user account information or services.
In another type of IP telephony system, an intelligent user device, such as a SIP phone, may be used. The “intelligence” of this user device enables it to store individual account information and/or services associated with a registered user. A user may “log on” to the device to become a registered user and access such account information and/or services, or the user may “log off” to de-register the device. In order to log on or off such an intelligent user device (e.g., a SIP phone), and to access account information/services associated with the device, a user must be physically present together with the device. In other words, intelligent user devices, such as SIP phones, cannot be remotely managed or controlled. This arrangement can be problematic, since a user may want to manage or control several different user devices that are not in the same physical location as the user.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system and method for remotely managing intelligent IP telephony devices, such as SIP phones.